During Professor Gupta’s Corporate Social Responsibility course, I enjoyed debating whether “There is no such a thing as corporate social responsibility because the only goal of a public company is to maximize its profits for the sole benefit of its shareholders.” I thought that was interesting, and it led me to think about what I believe and how I could play devil’s advocate in any case. Specifically, this debate topic interested me because I think it correlated very well with my Wall Street Journal article and understanding that this takes place in the real world and there are examples everywhere. It led me to question how much I honestly care about corporate responsibility over simply making profits; hypothetically, that’s what corporations should do for their shareholders. Reading the story, I learned how much support Exxon’s board of directors has from their shareholders. Interestingly, proposals are being made to improve their corporate responsibility. Yet, so many shareholders only care about profit as they support what the current board is doing.

While in Professor Swain’s internship seminar this week, we had the opportunity to self-assess ourselves to see how we adapted to the Italian culture and lifestyle. I found it interesting to learn more about how I think of myself regarding ethnocentrism. When reading the statements about how often I have thought about them in Italy thus far, I found it interesting to see where I am in terms of adaptation and integration into Italian culture. Right now, I’m at an in-between point when looking at my intercultural sensitivity. I will push myself to become fully sensitive and hopefully feel fully integrated by the end of my study abroad here in Milan.

This week at my internship, I’ve begun automating our business angels’ entire application, interview, and approval process. Previously, our Managing Director handled this complex process manually, leading to inefficiencies and potential loss of interested candidates. Once it is finished, with just a few clicks of buttons and changing statuses on Monday, the process will be much more efficient and run smoothly. Our MD has long wanted to improve this process, and we believe this automation will increase the number of angels joining us by simplifying the process. This shift from manual to automated systems should vastly improve the application process on both ends and significantly decrease the time Emmanuele, our MD, has to spend.

This past weekend, I stayed in Milan, where my parents came to visit me before they traveled to Switzerland. It was great to spend time with family and show them what Milan is like. It was my mom’s birthday and Father’s Day, so we did a lot of shopping, and they both got themselves something. They both were in awe of the intricate construction of the buildings in Milan. One of my coworkers recommended that we go to Osteria del Binari for dinner one night, which did not disappoint. The ambiance and food were terrific, and we had a great time together. On Sunday, Jack, Charlie, and I went to the English Football Pub to watch England versus Serbia in the Euros. Watching a football game surrounded by English people routing for their country was energetic and fun.